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FG Condemns Death Sentence On 8 Nigerians By UAE

Eight men,
identified as Nigerians, have been sentenced to death in Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates, for a string of robberies at money exchanges and cash machines (ATMs)
across the emirate in December 2016.

The ninth Nigerian, found guilty for
possession of stolen money, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. He will
be deported after serving his prison term.

The Gulf News is reporting that the Nigerian denied the charge against him,
saying that one of the accused’s brothers asked him to transfer Dh60, 000 to an
account in Nigeria. Both the Gulf News and Khaleej Times, local newspapers,
which reported the trial, did not identify all the convicted Nigerians. A total
of 20 suspects were initially held for attacking security guards in four
violent attacks at ATMs and money exchanges across Sharjah in late 2016.

Out of the 20 suspects, nine were convicted. Some of the accused confessed to
their crimes, while others denied the charges levelled against them. Judge
Majid Al Muhairi of Sharjah Criminal Court handed down the verdict on
Wednesday. The eight-member gang attacked security trucks and entered
establishments by force and threatened and assaulted staff and members of the
public with bladed weapons in a spate of robberies, three of which were carried
out on the same day on December 18, 2016.

The gang, who were all in the UAE on
visit visas, were said to be highly organised and plotted a string of
orchestrated attacks to ambush security trucks that were transporting money
boxes to and from ATMs, and at least one money exchange in Sharjah. The first
robbery took place at a Dubai Commercial Bank ATM on King Abdul Aziz Street,
where Dh340, 000 was stolen.

The gang,
who were all in the UAE on visit visas, were said to be highly organised and
plotted a string of orchestrated attacks to ambush security trucks that were
transporting money boxes to and from ATMs, and at least one money exchange in
Sharjah. The first robbery took place at a Dubai Commercial Bank ATM on King
Abdul Aziz Street, where Dh340, 000 was stolen.

The gang, who were all in the UAE on visit visas, were said to be highly
organised and plotted a string of orchestrated attacks to ambush security
trucks that were transporting money boxes to and from ATMs, and at least one
money exchange in Sharjah. The first robbery took place at a Dubai Commercial
Bank ATM on King Abdul Aziz Street, where Dh340, 000 was stolen.

”I must commend millions of our brothers and sisters excelling all over the
world. “Bad news travels fast and I appeal to the media to help spread the good
news about Nigerians and not concentrate only on the once in a while negative
stories,” she said. The gang of 20 was arrested in record time, but police
confirmed that only a portion of the stolen money — almost Dh1.8 million — had
been recovered, as the gang members had divided the money among themselves and
transferred it to their home country. Suspects were taken into custody in
cooperation with police in Dubai, Ajman and Fujairah. The gang committed the
heists at the busiest times of the day when streets were crowded, which added
to the confusion and enabled them to escape, said police. In each robbery, the
assailants struck quickly before police could arrive.

The attackers, however, could not evade security cameras and police were able
to recognise the suspects through surveillance footage captured at the exchange
house in the mall. Video footage showed the suspects attacking security guards,
making off with cash and in one of the robberies, slashing the hands of a
security guard with a knife before running away with moneyboxes. Police believe
the suspects had monitored and tracked the security trucks used to transport
money for a period of time before launching the attacks.

A prosecutor told Gulf News on Thursday that as per the law, groups of people
who threaten the lives of others, while committing robbery, are subject to the
death sentence. However an appeal is expected to be launched and the sentences
could get downgraded to life imprisonment. The trial appeared unconnected with
the arrest of five Nigerians in March this year, who robbed a Bureau de Change
operator of Dh2.3 million (N225.4 million) in Sharjai, Dubai.

The suspects were identified as Chimuanya Emmanuel Ozoh, Benjamin Nwachukwu
Ajah, Kingsley Ikenna Ngoka, Tochukwu Leonard Alisi and Chile Micah Ndunagu.
The five Nigerians reportedly barged into the BDC on March 20 and smashed the
glass barrier between the customers and the staff, stole the money in multiple
currencies and fled. Two employees at the exchange were injured as they
resisted the robbers. One of them managed to notify the police. The Sharjah
Police coordinated with forces from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman to nab
the suspects from four emirates within 48 hours after the robbery was
committed. A top police official said the suspects came to the UAE on visit
visas on March 18, 2019.

Eight men, identified
as Nigerians, have been sentenced to death in Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates, for a string of robberies at money exchanges and cash machines
(ATMs) across the emirate in December 2016.
The ninth Nigerian, found guilty for possession of stolen money, was
sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
He will be deported after serving his prison term.

Eight men, identified
as Nigerians, have been sentenced to death in Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates, for a string of robberies at money exchanges and cash machines
(ATMs) across the emirate in December 2016.
The ninth Nigerian, found guilty for possession of stolen money, was
sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
He will be deported after serving his prison term.